Condensation preventing means for refrigerators



y ,1950 J. K. RQTH 2,509,784

CONDENSATION PREVENTING MEANS FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed May 10, 1946 INVEN TOR. doH/v K. ROTH Patented May 30, 1950 CONDENSATION PREVENTING MEANS FOR REFRIGERATORS John K. Roth, San Francisco, Calif.

Application May 10, 1946, Serial No. 668,924

" 2 Claims. (Cl. 62-116) The present invention relates to improvements in refrigerators, and has particular reference to refigerating cabinets of the type generally known as frozen food cabinets, although the invention is not limited to this particular type and may be used wherever similar conditions prevail.

Cabinets of this character usually have door openings in the top thereof, with suitable doors for closing the openings and sealing means interposed between the doors and the door frames. A certain amount of cold air escapes through the door openings even when the doors are closed, and it is the principal object of the present invention to utilize this escaping air for producing a condenser effect in the refrigeration circuit, preferably of an auxiliary character, in order to relieve'the conventional condenser of a portion of its load.

The top of a frozen food cabinet is usually made of insulating material covered by a sheet of stainless steel or similar metal, and the cold air escaping has a tendency to cool the stainless steel immediately surrounding the door opening to such an extent that moisture from the outside air settles and condenses on the steel resulting in drops of water collecting on the cabinet around the openings.

It is a further object of the invention to eliminate or reduce the condensation of water on the cabinet around the door openings by guiding the compressed and heated refrigerant from the compressor around the door openings, which thus serves the double purpose of heating the surrounding surface of the cabinet to prevent condensation of water on the latter and of condensing the refrigerant to relieve the conventional condenser.

Further objects and advanatages of my invention will appear as the specification proceeds, and the new and useful features thereof will be fully defined in the claims attached hereto.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a frozen food cabinet having my improvements embodied therein; and

Figure 2, a fragmentary vertical section through an edge portion thereof. I

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, I wish to have it understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the claims hereto attached without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the cabinet I maybe generally of conventional construction, having a bottom 2, side walls 3, end walls 4, and a top 5 having two door openings 6 and two doors I for closing the same. I

The bottom, side walls and end walls are heavily insulated, as shown at 8, and the top is conventionally made of a layer of wood, or other material 9, the entire structure being covered by sheet metal i 0', preferably stainless steel. I

The doors 1 are made to project inside the door openings, as at Ii, suitable gaskets [2 serving as sealing means. and the doors having flanges l3 overlying the edges of the door openings.

In spite of the sealing means, a certain amount of cold air escapes past the gasket and cools the stainless steel around the door opening to such an extent that moisture from the atmosphere 00.ndense on the steel and leaves a film or drops of water on the cabinet, as may be readily seen by mere inspection of a conventional food cabinet in use.

The refrigerating apparatus is usually accom modated in the lower portion of the frozen food cabinet, and comprises in its principal features, a compressor ll having a discharge conduit l5 leading to the condenser l 6 which latter discharges into a, receiving tank l1.

The refrigerant, which is now in liquid form, is then forced through the conduit l8 and an expansion valve (not shown) into the evaporator (not shown), which consists of a coil mounted in the walls of the cabinet, and finally returns to the intake side of the compressor in vaporized form through the conduit l9.

While the temperatures may vary with different installations, in a typical example, the temperature of the gas leaving the compressor may be approximately 120 F., that of the liquid in the receiver about 65, and that prevailing in the evaporator 0', while the gas returns to the compressor at about 20.

in any suitable manner to accomplish the object of the invention, I provide, adjacent the door opening, a. groove 23, in which the by-pass conduit is accommodated, immediately underneath the sheet metal covering. I

Where two door openings are employed, as in Eu; the drawing, I guide the concinitaround the two openings and double the conduit upon itself between the openings, as at it, so as to cover all edges of the openings as completely as possible.

In operation. part of the refrigerant will pass through the conventional condenser to in the usual manner. But, another part of the re frigerant will pass through the lay-pass 20 in heat-exchange relation with the cold air escaping around the rim of each door, which absorbs heat units from the by-pass.

Thus my by-pass takes the place of an auxiliary condenser which delivers the refrigerant back to the receiver at substantially the same temperature as does the main condenser. The same condenser eflect takes place when the doors are moved for gaining access to the interior of the cabinet, while removing frozen foods therefrom.

The by-pass conduit, at the same time increases the temperature of the steel top of the cabinet to approximately room temperature and thereby substantially prevents condensation of room moisture on the cabinet so as to keep the latter perfectly dry.

Iclaim:

1. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet made of insulating material and having sheet metal covering the said material, the cabinet having a door opening in the top thereof and a door for closing the same, with a rim of the door projecting over the rim of the door opening, a refrigerating circuit ncluding a compressor, a condenser connected thereto and a receiver connected to the condenser, and a by-pass for the condenser 4 leading around the door opening outside the door rim and in direct heat-exchange relation with the sheet metal covering whereby a portion of the compressed refrigerant is guided around the door opening to reduce the settling of moisture from outside air upon the metal covering.

2. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet made of insulating material and having sheet metal covering the said material, the cabinet having a door opening and a door for closing the same, with a rim of the door projecting over the rim of'the door opening, a refrigerating circuit including a compressor, a condenser connected thereto and a receiver connected to the condenser, and a by-pass for the condenser leading around the door opening outside the door rim and in direct heat-exchange relation with the sheet metal covering whereby a portion of the compressed refrigerant is guided around the door opening to reduce the settling of moisture from 7 outside air upon the metal covering.

JOHN K. ROTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

